By Hindaty Traore, Girls Project Coordinator

Note: One of the best parts of getting to know another culture is getting to know its food! Hindaty, our wonderful Girls Project Coordinator, shares her one of her favorite Mali recipes for your consideration.

This month, I will share with you the recipes of one of my favorite dishes, called "yassa.” Yassa is a dish from West Africa that is prepared with onion. As in Mali we have large families, I will show you the recipe for yassa for 10 people

Ingredients for 10 people:

• 1.2 kg fresh fish or chicken

• 2 kg onions

• 1 lemon

• 4 to 6 cloves of garlic (minced)

• 5 tablespoons mustard

• 1 broth cube (optional)

• Salt and pepper

• Peanut oil

• Green pepper and carrots (for decoration)

• 1 dried pepper

• 2 kg rice

Preparation

TOTAL time 50 minutes

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Step one

Peel the onions and cut into squares or strips. Prepare a marinade in a bowl with mustard, pepper and lemon juice, add the onions and mix well. Leave the mixture to pickle for 15 minutes.

Step two

Meanwhile, coat the fish or chickens with mustard, salt and pepper, cook them in the pan until they are well browned.

Step three

Then put the onions in 2 tablespoons of oil, add a little water and cook for 20 minutes on low heat. Add the chili pepper (to be dosed according to the desired spice) and the crushed broth cube.

Step 4

Stir and cook until onions are well softened (do not hesitate to put a little water if they attach during cooking).

Step 5

Once the onions are cooked, add the chicken/fish and leave on the fire time to simmer a little.

Step 6

Cook rice steamed and serve in a large dish. Spoon the chicken/fish and onion sauce over the top.

It is a very delicious dish and many people prepare it during the holidays or even daily. IT IS VERY GOOD TASTING TO ALL!

Learn more about Hindaty’s work with our Girls Project.